Punjab reports first virus case as Pak’s tally hits 53
A 54-year-old patient who returned from UK on March 10 tests positive in Lahore; minister refutes remours of Sindh province lockdown; NUST university’s team develops COVID-19 testing kits
Punjab province on Sunday reported its first case of the novel coronavirus, after a 54-year-old patient who returned from Britain on March 10 tested positive at a Lahore hospital, pushing the tally in Pakistan to 53.
“It is the first #COVID19 case in Punjab so far. All of his close contacts are tested negative but they will be kept in isolation for 15 days as per SOPS,” Punjab government spokesperson Musarrat Cheema confirmed in a tweet.
At least 13 pilgrims, who arrived in Sukkur from Iran, have also tested positive for the contagious disease, raising the tally in Sindh province to 35 out of which two have been discharged after full recovery.
The Sindh province now has three locally transmitted cases.
Five new cases of the novel coronavirus were also confirmed earlier in the day – four in Karachi and one in Islamabad.
According to details, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences ( PIMS) confirmed one case in Islamabad while the Sindh Health Department reported four new patients in Karachi.
The latest case is of the husband of the woman who recently travelled to Pakistan from the United States and tested positive. The lady is currently in critical condition, receiving treatment at the isolation ward in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). There are now four COVID-19 patients at the isolation ward in PIMS.
Pakistan reported five new COVID-19 cases on Saturday - two in Balochistan, two in Sindh and one in Islamabad.
So far Pakistan has reported 53 COVID-19 cases – 35 in Sindh, 10 in Balochistan, 4 in Islamabad, 3 in Gilgit-baltistan and 1 in Punjab.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) to cobble a unified approach to contain the outbreak.
The huddle was attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and InterServices Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt-gen Faiz Hameed provincial chief ministers, top advisors and cabinet members.
It was decided to close borders with Iran and Afghanistan, allow only three airports — Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore — to operate international flights in limited numbers while other airports will see domestic flights, and ban public gatherings.
The National Disaster Management Authority ( NDMA) has been tasked to coordinate with provincial governments and lead the fight against novel coronavirus. It was also decided to close all educational institutions until April 5. In a first, the Pakistan Day parade on March 23 have also been cancelled.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government has dismissed social media rumours of an emergency lockdown in the province. A statement issued by Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah categorically shot down emergency lockdown. “The rumours are false. There is no need for panic.”
He added that the initiatives taken by the provincial government were “simply precautionary measures”.
“Some elements on social media are telling the masses to stock up on essentials and learn how to ration which is absolutely useless,” said Shah.
The minister said Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had directed the chief secretary to register cybercrime cases against those perpetrating such statements. He assured the masses that the government was capable of handling any crisis situation if it emerges.
In the meantime, as part of the preventive measure against novel coronavirus outbreak, the Punjab government temporarily suspended biometric attendance of health workers.
A notification issued on Sunday stated that the decision to suspend biometric attendance was taken to ensure health and hygiene of staff in hospitals and other health facilities.
The Sindh Rangers has delayed its recruitment process amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the country. A press release issued on Sunday said the new schedule will be published soon.
The scientists at National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Attaur Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB) have successfully established Molecular Diagnostic Assays for the detection of COVID-19, in collaboration with Wuhan Institute of Virology China, DZIF Germany, Columbia University USA and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) Rawalpindi.